Doo Wop - Rhythm & Blues

The Revelaires (1)

Posted on February 29 2016 by dion1

The Revelaires (1) (

The Revelaires (1) (Detroit, Mi.)

Personnel :

Jimmy Bryant (Baritone)

Bill Duncan (First Tenor)

Gabriel Suggs (Second Tenor)

B.Robinson (Bass)

Discography :

1954 - Only The Angels Know / Down By The Well (Burgundy 1001/1002)
1954 - Crazy Doctor / It's A Miracle (with Jeannette Franklin) (Burgundy 105)
1955 - Slumber / Somebody Bigger Than You And I (Burgundy 110)

Biography :

Previously know as the The Ebonaires, the group was a Detroit spiritual group from 1953-1954 composed by Jimmy Bryant (baritone), Bill Duncan (first tenor), Gabriel Suggs (second tenor) and either Bill Robinson or Bob Robinson (bass - different newspaper articles give a different first name).

The Revelaires (1) The Revelaires (1) (

They changed their name to the Revelaires about March 1954 & recorded Three singles for Burgundy records in Detroit owned by Art & Bob Sutton.

The Revelaires (1) (

By 1955, Gabriel Suggs formed a new group with Ray Wheaton, Prentiss Polk and Donald Ashby named the Clicks and signed a recording contract with Josie Records.
by Marv Goldberg

Songs :

(updated by Hans-Joachim)

Only The Angels Know It's A Miracle (with Jeannette Franklin)

Crazy Doctor Down By The Well

...

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The Montereys (2) aka The Monorays

Posted on February 27 2016 by dion1

The early group with Vinny Esposito

The Montereys (2) (Brooklyn, New York)
aka The Monorays

Personnel :

John Randazzo (Lead)

Tony Giordano (First tenor)

Billy Schalda (Second Tenor)

Rich Torelli (Baritone)

Discography :

Don Dell & The Montereys (2)
1963 - I want You, I Need You, I Love You / Make Believe Love (Roman 2963)

The Montereys (2)
1964 - Face In The Crowd / Step Right Up (Blast 219)

The Monorays
1966 - Face In The Crowd / Step Right Up (Astra 1018)

Biography :

The group was originally formed in 1960 from the New Utrech High School with Vinny Esposito, John Randazzo, Tony Giordano & Rich Torelli . Vinny Esposito left the group way before they have chance to record.

The Montereys (2)

The Group backed "Don Del Sini "Don Dell", a New York High School Teacher on "Make Believe Love" and "I want You, I Need You, I Love You" on Roman records. Don Dell had previously recorded two singles with another local group, The Up Starts.

The Montereys (2)

Don Del Sini The Montereys

In 1964, the Montereys (2) finally recorded their own single with "Face In The Crowd" b/w "Step Right Up" on Blast Records, a subsidiary of Sinclair Records owned by the late Don Ames. In 1966 Astra Records from Pittsburg released the same sides under the name of the Monorays. The group stayed together until 1968 when Billy Schalda, Rich Torelli and Tony Giordano formed another group called ‘Sy Rapp’.

The Montereys (2) aka The Monorays

Songs :

Don Dell & The Montereys (2)


Make Believe Love                   I Want You,I Need You,I Love You

The Montereys (2)


Face In The Crowd                        Step Right Up

…

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Nathaniel Mayer & The Fabulous Twilights

Posted on February 26 2016 by dion1

Nathaniel Mayer & The Fabulous Twilights

Nathaniel Mayer & The Fabulous Twilights (Detroit, Michigan)

Personnel :

Nathaniel Mayer (Lead)

Henry Ferguson

Harold Smith

Robert Coates

Robert James

Charles ? Rufus ? and Dorothy ? 

Discography :

1962 - My Last Dance With You / My Little Darling (Fortune 542)
1962 - Village Of Love / I Want A Woman (Fortune 545 /UA 449/UA 1625)
1962 - Well, I've Got Good News (For You) / Work It Out (Fortune 550)
1962 - Well, I've Got Good News (For You) / Mr. Santa Claus (Bring Me My Baby) (Fortune 550)
1962 - I'm Not Gonna Cry / I Had A Dream (Fortune 554)
1962 - Hurting Love / Leave Me Alone (Fortune 487 /UA 447)
1963 - Going Back To The Village Of Love / My Last Dance With You (Fortune 557) 

Biography :

Born in Detroit on February 10, 1944, Nathaniel Mayer was just 18 years old when he began his recording career for the local small, independent Fortune Records, which had been in operation since 1946 under the ownership of the husband-and-wife team of Jack and Devora Brown. Known affectionately as Nay Dog, his energetic antics on stage coupled with his powerfully-raw vocals put one in mind of the Godfather of Soul, James Brown.

Nathaniel Mayer & The Fabulous Twilights

But, unlike Brown who would score well over 100 hit singles and many best-selling albums on his way to the R&R Hall Of Fame (1986), Mayer is forever a member of the One-Hit Wonder Club, that being his May/June 1962 # 18 R&B and # 22 Billboard Pop Hot 100 Village Of Love, billed as Nathaniel Mayer & His Fabulous Twilights (again emulating Brown's Famous Flames) on Fortune 449 b/w I Want A Woman.

Nathaniel Mayer & The Fabulous Twilights

The complete make-up of The Fabulous Twilights, however, has never been fully established with the only known names being Henry Ferguson, Harold Smith, Robert Coates and Robert James who, with other so far unidentified members, seemed to alternate from record to record. This Village Of Love was not only the best nationally-charted hit for Fortune, but seemingly their ONLY hit, tells you that, despite a distribution arrangement with United Artists, they simply could not compete with the big boys when it came to funding promotion.

Nathaniel Mayer & The Fabulous Twilights

And that's too bad because they did cut some discs with artists like Nolan Strong, Andre Williams & The Don Juans, John Lee Hooker and Big Maceo. And certainly, had these releases by Nathaniel Mayer been handled by a larger independents such as the Motown empire, or one of the giants like RCA Victor or Columbia, you just know some - if not all - would have gotten him back on the national charts:

Songs :
(updated by Hans-Joachim)


My Last Dance With You          My Little Darling                 Village Of Love


I Want A Woman             I'm Not Gonna Cry          I Had A Dream


       Hurting Love                Leave Me Alone          Going Back To The Village Of Love


Well I've Got Good News (For You)        Work It Out Mr. Santa Claus (Bring Me My Baby)

...

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The Vocal-Teens

Posted on February 24 2016 by dion1

The Vocal-Teens

Mike Kelly

The Vocal-Teens (New Jersey)

Personnel :

Henry Mays (Lead)

Frederick Worrell (Bass)

Michael Dennis Kelly

Charles "Cator" Brooks

Discography :

The Vocal-Teens
1972 (58) - Be A Slave / Till Then (Downstairs 1000)

Michael Kelly
1962 - When A Man Cries / Find Me ( Philips 40046)

Biography :

Mike Kelly had music in his blood from a young age, he fronted a black vocal group of his own called the Vocal-Teens while still in high school. The group recorded two demo sides in 1958/59. The Vocal Teens made pop music that was heavily informed by doo-wop. But while the Duprees reached for a cinematic sound indebted to pre-rock sources (and cut updated versions of many songs that were famous before the rock era began), Kelly’s first group had a rougher edge. “Be a Slave,” a love song Mike Kelly wrote (and sang) at the age of fourteen for the Vocal Teens, was sweetened by strings. Unfortunately the two sides will not be released before 1972 on Downstairs Records

The Vocal-Teens
Mike Kelly

The Vocal Teens opened doors for Mike Kelly and one of the people he got to know, Joseph "Joey Vann" Canzano, was the original lead singer for the Duprees. When Vann left the group for a short time in 1961, Kelly was brought in to sing lead, something he did on a number of demo records used to get the group a recording contract. Unfortunately, before the group hit it big, Kelly left for a solo career and Vann returned to score hits with the Duprees on You Belong to Me, My Own True Love, Have You Heard and a number of others.

The Vocal-Teens
The Duprees (Mike On Left)

By 1964 when Vann left the group again and Kelly was brought in as the permanent lead singer, the time of the group's biggest success was past. Kelly did stick with the group for the next 13 years as they tried to reinvent themselves for a new generation. While they never made it back to the top 40, they did find some success on the oldies circuit.

Songs :

The Vocal-Teens

Be A Slave Till Then

...

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The Thundering Sentries

Posted on February 21 2016 by dion1

The Thundering Sentries

(L to R) James Wells, Alfred Stewart, Ken “Boots” Wallace , Vernon Manning, Larry McKenion, Stanley Green, Ross Mounds. Front: Jessie Alphanso, Robert “Hub” Franklin .

The Thundering Sentries (Harrisburg, Pa)

Personnel :

Stanley Green (Lead)

Robert “Hub” Franklin (Lead)

Ross Mounds (Lead)

Alfred Stewart (Bass)

Ken “Boots” Wallace (Second Tenor)

Vernon Manning (Falsetto)

Larry McKenion (First Tenor)

Jessie Alphanso (Percussion)

James Wells (Bass Guitar)

Discography :

Unreleased :
1962 - Remember The Night
1962 - Zoom Zoom Zoom
1962 - Human

Biography :

The band formed in 1960 by John Harris classmates, Jessie Alphanso and Larry McKenion. They frequently played at the Oaks in York and, on their own turf, played regularly at the Superette Market/Dance Hall. The Sentries never landed a record deal, but recorded a five song demo at Gross Studios, Mechanicsburg, in 1962.

The Thundering Sentries

They were often mistakenly identified as the Thundering Centuries, a misnomer which lead to at least one spin-off, or copy-cat group, the Lightning Decades.
http://www.johnharris66.com/Site_1004a2/Thundering_Sentries.html

Songs :

Remember The Night Zoom Zoom Zoom

….

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The Mistics

Posted on February 20 2016 by dion1

The Mistics (L to R): Ray Vaughn, Jerry Simmons, Neal Seymour, Buster Sullivan & Tommy Thompson

The Mistics (Houston, Texas)

Personnel :

Ray Vaughn

Jerry Simmons

Neal Seymour

Buster Sullivan

Tommy Thompson

Discography :

1962 - Memories / Without Love (There Is Nothing) (Capri 631)
1964 - You'll Be There / What Happened To Saturday (Kirk 636)

Biography :

The Mistics were a white vocal group from Charles H. Milby High School in Houston, Texas. formed by Ray Vaughn, Jerry Simmons, Neal Seymour, Buster Sullivan and Tommy Thompson. They began to repeat, to occur locally and participates at some talent shows and soon had a recording contract with Capri records. Capri Records was a short-lived but influential rock and roll record label established in Conroe, Texas by Huey P Meaux and Foy Lee in the early 1960s. It launched the careers of many Texas artists and furthered the careers of artists such as Gene Summers, Gaylon Christie, Scotty McKay and Pat Minter.

The Mistics
Jerry Simmons & Buster sullivan

The Mystics had a very big hit with an old Clyde McPhatter song called "Without Love". Tom Jones covered it several years later. Anyway, that song was # 2 in Houston, but was actually # 1 in California and several other states. After some months, Jerry Simmons leaves the band and was replaced by Clyde (Sonny) Jones, another H. Milby High School student that was part of another group, The Pastels.

The Mistics
The Pastels with Clyde (Sonny) Jones on top

Clyde (Sonny) Jones did some recording in the early 60s with a friend from the dorm next door , as "Gary and Sonny" on Cadette. " It’s All Over" b/w "You’re Gonna Love Me" were two local hits for Gary and Sonny in the area. With this new line-up, the group continue to produce two more years andrecorded "You'll Be There" b/w "What Happened To Saturday" for Kirk Rcords in Conroe.

Songs :

Memories Without Love (There Is Nothing)

...

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The Chateaus (2) aka The Glenwoods

Posted on February 18 2016 by dion1

The Glenwoods aka The Chateaus (2)
Gary DeCarlo

The Glenwoods (Bridgeport CT.)
aka The Chateaus (2)

Personnel :

Johnny Castle (Lead)

Frank A. Borelli

Gary DeCarlo "Garret Scott"

Joe Reed

Dale Frashuer

Ronnie Schlrlllo

Norman Zachlod aka Zack Norman

Bill Garneau

Discography :

The Glenwoods
Single :
1961 - Elaine / That's The Way I'll Be Jubilee (5402)
Unreleased :
1961 - Give Me A Chance (Jubilee)
1961 - Tell Her (Jubilee)

The Chateaus (1)
1963 - Summer's Here (School Is Through) / Honest I Will (My Pledge To You) (Coral 62364)

Zack Norman
1962 - Hey Doll / Givin' Up Love (Poplar 111)

Biography:

The song ""Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye"" can be traced back to 1961, when three Bridgeport, Connecticut teenagers cowrote a song they called "Kiss Him Goodbye." The song was not recorded and never released. The three teenagers were Gary DeCarlo, Dale Frashuer and Paul Leka. All three attended high schools in Bridgeport— Leka (Bassick High), DeCarlo (Central High) and Frashuer (Roger Ludlowe High). Soon after, DeCarlo and Frashuer joined a group known as the Glenwoods. The other members of that group were Joe Reed, Johnny Castle (Castlelenetti) and Frank Borelli. The group's name changed several times, first to the Citations and then to the Chateaus.

The Glenwoods aka The Chateaus (2)

The members of the group have also changed, Norman Zachlod aka Zack Norman, Ronnie Schlrlllo and Bill Garneau were also part of the group at certain times. Leka sat in with the groups and played piano. The new formed group going into New York in 1959 making their first record with the songs “That's The Way It Will Be" b/w "Elaine” both written by Frank A. Borelli. The single arranged by Stan Vincent was Released by Jubilee Records as "The Glenwoods". They took their name from a street in Brooklyn, Glenwood Ave. Their second record arrives two years later on the Coral Label : “Summers Here (School Is Through)” b/w " Honest I Will" on Coral. They were now the “Chateaus” at the time.

The Glenwoods aka The Chateaus (2)
Kneeling, from left, are "The Glenwoods," Ronnie Schlrlllo, Norman Zachlod and Bill Garneau.
Standing, are Joe Reed, Alexander, Sheila O'Brien, Dale Frashuer, Kathy O'SuIlivan, John Castle, Frank A. Borelli and Gary DeCarlo.

The group disbanded when Paul Leka talked Dale Frashuer into going into New York City with him to write and possibly produce. In 1962, Norman Zachlod as Zack Norman recorded "Hey Doll" (written by Gary DeCarlo) and "Givin' Up Love" (written by Norman). The single will be released by Poplar records. In 1968, Gary DeCarlo recorded four songs at Mercury Records in New York with Paul Leka as producer. The singles impressed the company's executives, who wanted to issue all of them as A-side singles. In need of a B-side, Leka and DeCarlo resurrected an old song from their days as the Glenwoods, "Kiss Him Goodbye", with their old bandmate, Dale Frashuer. With DeCarlo as lead vocalist, the three musicians recorded the song in one recording session.

The Glenwoods aka The Chateaus (2)
Steam

Instead of using a full band, Leka had engineer Warren Dewey splice together a drum track from one of DeCarlo's four singles and played keyboards himself. December 6, 1969, Steam's "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye" hit the #1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart attributed to a then-fictitious band they named "Steam". It was released under the Mercury subsidiary label Fontana and became a number one pop single on the Billboard Hot 100 in late 1969, and remained on the charts in early 1970.

Songs :

The Glenwoods

Elaine Give Me A Chance

That's The Way It'll Be Tell Her

The Chateaus (1)

Summer's Here (School Is Through) Honest I Will

Zack Norman

Hey Doll Givin' Up Love

Steam

Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye

...

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The Chateaus (1)

Posted on February 18 2016 by dion1

The Chateaus (1) 1955 - Olivier Sidney, Georges Winfield , Leroy Jones , Olivier Sidney & Fred Harris

The Chateaus (1) (Newport News, Va)

Personnel :

Edwin Hall (Lead)

Georges Winfield (First Tenor)

Olivier Sidney (Second Tenor)

Leroy Jones (Falsetto)

Theodore Jones (Bass)

Discography :

The Chateaus (1)

Singles :
1956 - Darling Je Vous Aime Beaucoup / Let Me Tell You Baby (Epic 5-9163)
1958 - Satisfied / Brown Eyes (Warner Bros 5023)
1958 - The Masquerade Is Over / If I Didn't Care (Warner Bros 5043)
1959 - Ladder Of Love / You'll Reap What You Sow (Warner Bros 5071)

Unreleased
1956 - Somebody's Beating My Time (Epic)
1956 - Take Me Back (Epic)
1956 - You Won't Get That Chance Again (Epic)
1956 - Ladder Of Love (Epic)
1956 - Two Lovers (Epic)
1956 - You Baby (Epic)
1956 - That's Why I Dream (Epic)
1958 - Happiness (Warner Bros)
1958 - Hear Me Now (Warner Bros)
1958 - Hey, Hey Boy (Warner Bros)
1958 - Do It Right (Warner Bros)

The Bobbettes bb The Chateaus (1)
1963 - Close Your Eyes / Somebody Bad Stole De Wedding Bell(Bobbettes) (Diamond 142)

Biography :

Newport News, VA-based R&B vocal group the Chateaus formed in 1952 -- according to Marv Goldberg's profile in the December 1976 issue of Yesterday's Memories -- first tenor Fred Harris, second tenor Oliver Sidney, falsetto Leroy Jones, bass Charles Sidney, and baritone/pianist George Winfield originally dubbed themselves "the Flamingos", but later abandoned the moniker upon learning of the Chicago-based group of the same name. After posting a newspaper advertisement seeking ideas for a new name, the quintet selected the Chateaus, emerging as a fixture of a thriving Newport News scene that also included the Five Keys, the Avalons and the Leaders. In early 1956, while the group was making plans to travel to New York City in search of a record deal, Harris was drafted into the military, necessitating the addition of tenor Edwin Hall.

The Chateaus (1)

Weeks later, the Chateaus headed for Manhattan, signing to Columbia's Epic subsidiary and releasing their debut single "Darling Je Vous Aime Beaucoup" (a song first popularized by supper club chanteuse Hildegard) in April. The record did not sell, however, and although the group cut another session for Epic, the label shelved the tapes and released the Chateaus from their contract. The quintet returned to Virginia and began searching for a new deal. They were still looking as of 1958, by which time Harris completed his military duty and returned home to serve as the Chateaus' road manager. Finally, in the fall of 1958, the group signed to Warner Bros. and released its sophomore effort "Satisfied."

The Chateaus (1)

Early 1960 - Leroy Jones , Georges Winfield , Olivier Sidney, Theodore Jones & Edwin Hall

"The Masquerade Is Over" followed in early 1959, and like its predecessor, earned little notice from radio or retail. When their third Warner release "Ladder of Love" met the same fate, Charles Sidney left the group to move to New Jersey, and with new bass Theodore "Pepper" Jones, the Chateaus spent the next several years under the radar, resurfacing in 1963 backing the Bobbettes on their Diamond label single "Close Your Eyes." Despite the long layoff, the group was still under contract at Warner as well, and in early 1964 cut a never-released session for the label. the Chateaus split soon after, but in 1973 Rudy West recruited Oliver Sidney, Hall, Jones, and Winfield to form a new version of his old group the Five Keys.
http://www.uncamarvy.com/Chateaus/chateaus.html

Songs :

The Chateaus (1)


Darling Je Vous Aime Beaucoup             If I Didn't Care

The Masquerade Is Over             Ladder Of Love

Satisfied / Brown Eyes Ladder Of Love / You'll Reap What You Sow

The Bobbettes bb The Chateaus (1)

Close Your Eyes

...

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Kelly Troy & The Three Jays (1) aka The Jays (3)

Posted on February 17 2016 by dion1

Kelly Troy & The Jays (3) aka The Three Jays (1)

James Leggat (Kelly Troy)

Kelly Troy & The Three Jays (1) (Georgia, Atlanta )
aka The Jays (3)

Personnel :

James Leggat "Kelly Troy" (Lead)

Marty Jay

Marlyn Jay

Stan Jay

Discography :

The Three Jays (1)
1956 - The Memory Of You / Caught, Caught, Ring-A-Leevio (RCA Victor 6692)
1959 - Rosa / Because Of You (Vee Jay 311)

Kelly Troy
1960 - Hairlooms / Remember When (Corvette CV 100)

Kelly Troy & The Three Jays (1)
1961 - You’re Lucky In Love / In The Still Of The Night (Tad 101)

Kelly Troy & The Three Jays (1) (Uncredited)
1961 - You're Lucky In Love / Rockaway Playland (Tad 102)

Kelly Troy & The Jays (3)
1961 - You’re Lucky In Love / In The Still Of The Night (Harvey 102)

Biography :

According youtube through members families, James Leggat under the stage name of Kelly Troy was a Elvis Era rocker (part of the ‘Stars of Tomorrow’ Tour with Brenda Lee and Neil Sedaka) with slicked back hair, killer clothes, ever with one eye on the ladies and the other seeking out the nearest mirror. Songs under his stage name Kelly Troy “In the Still of the Night” and “Lucky In Love” among others. Originally from London, the eldest son of a Scot carpenter from the Highlands and his wife, a housewife from County Carlo, Ireland, James’ Father (and his siblings) was among the last W.W.I.I. refugees processed at Ellis Island. James Leggat saw America as the land of Opportunity. Though getting radio play and other industry notice, the Army, via the draft, brought James Sr. to Georgia where he met his wife, sister to one of his barrack buddies.

Kelly Troy & The Jays (3) aka The Three Jays (1)

                                                                        James Leggat

The Three jays was Marty Jay, Marlyn Jay and Stan Jay, who were billed as the Jays on the Harvey label . In 1956, the 13 year-old Marty Jay and his 10 and 11 year-old Siblings Stan and Marilyn Jay have a first single with "The Memory Of You (Legend Of James Dean)" b/w "Caught, Caught, Ring-A-Leevio (One, Two, Three)" on Rca Victor. Three Years later another disc is released by Vee-Jay Records; "Rosa" b/w "Because Of You", Unfortunately I don't know if it's the same group.

Songs :

Kelly Troy & The Three Jays (1)


You’re Lucky In Love                In The Still Of The Night

Kelly Troy

Remember When

The Three Jays (1)

Caught, Caught, Ring-A-Leevio

...

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Ferris & The Wheels (2)

Posted on February 16 2016 by dion1

Ferris & The Wheels (2)

Ferris & The Wheels (2) (New York)

Personnel :

Tony DeFarlo "Ferris" (Lead)

Sal Leggio

Rubin Lopez

Frankie "Love" Montanaro

Discography :

Ferris & The Wheels (2)
Singles :
1961 - Chop Chop Hole In The Wall / I Want To Dance (Every Night) (Bambi 801)
1962 - Moments Like This / He Was A Fortune Teller (United Art. 458)
Unreleased :
1962 - Following You (United Art.)
1962 - L-O-V-E (United Art.)
1962 - Teardrops
1962 - My Downtown Girl

Tony Farrar
1963 - Blast From The Past / Following You (Trans-Atlas 45-14001)

Frankie Love
1962 - Save Her Love For Me / First Star (La Rosa 101)
1963 - Stranger At The Dance / Moon Of Love (La Rosa 101)
1966 - First Star / You've Been Wrong (Loma 2033)

Biography :

Ferris & The Wheels were a New-York doo-Wop group in the early '60's lead by Tony DeFarlo. The group consisted with Tony DeFarlo , Sal leggio, Rubin Lopez and Frankie "Love" Montanaro. Eddie Reilly sing backing vocals at the time the group was first formed.

Ferris & The Wheels (2)

The Group cut two singles "Chop, Chop" b/w "I Want To Dance (Every Night)" on the Bambi label and "Moments Like This" b/w "He Was A Fortune Teller" on United Artists in 1962. In 1963, Trans Atlas released "Blast From The Past" b/w "Following You", two songs composed and sung by Tony DeFarlo under the name of "Tony Farrar".

Ferris & The Wheels (2)

Frankie Montanaro aka Frankie Love sang with the Gleams who recorded "You Broke My Heart" b/w "I Dont Know Why You Sent For Me" on Kip records. In 1962, under the name of Frankie Love, he cut "Moon of Love" b/w "Stranger at the Dance" and "First Star" b/w "Save Her Love For Me".

Songs :

(updated by Hans-Joachim)

Ferris & The Wheels (2)


He Was A Fortune Teller                    Moments Like This


Chop Chop Hole In The Wall                   I Want To Dance

Teardrops My Downtown Girl

Tony Farrar

Group Blast From The Past

The Gleams

You Broke My Heart I Don't Know Why You Sent For Me

Frankie Love

Moon of Love Stranger at the Dance First Star

Save Her Love For Me

...

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